Damp

lottie0311

OK,

So i'm selling my house at the moment at the survey has bought up damp downstairs.

Now, we have decorated about 15 months ago and not since, so i know the damp is not black. Im not scrubbing and it doesnt smell, but it showed on the meter.

there are a couple of spots where you can see salt, and in some spots, although it feels dry to touch, it is cold and paper is lifted slighty. there is no staining etc.

The buyer has now instructed a damp report and i am worried about the outcome.

My gut feeling is that it cant be that bad cos its barely noticeable, but i know nothing about damp. Im just feeling so down about it as we really have our heart set on our new place.

can anybody tell me anything about it and rough costs i can be thinking of in order to get it repaired?

i dont know if the property has a DPC, it is from 1920s, brick built.

thanks

SG27

Is it on an external wall? Could be condensation if it feels cold to touch. We had some high damp meter readings when buyer our house but as its 1700s with no DPC at all then we have expect a small amount of damp.

lottie0311

No they're internal walls xx

sandsni

From what I have read (quite extensively over the last couple of years) "damp" meters actually record conductivity which can be affected by salts in the wall, not necessarily water. If there are no obvious signs of damp (touch, smell, staining) then there's probably not a problem. Old houses deal with moisture by "breathing" so there may be times when moisture levels in the brick are slightly high, but as long as the house is heated and ventilated the walls will dry out naturally. Modern DPCs can actually cause more damage structurally to old walls in the long term.

Surveyors sometimes seem to suggest the possibility of damp to "keep themselves right", even if there is no sound basis for the diagnosis.

But if a "damp specialist" company is called in to check (especially if they think they might get a job out of it) they will have a vested interest in finding "damp". It might be worth your while to get a more in depth independent survey just in case the buyer's one falls into this camp. At least you would know for yourself if the place actually needed any remedial work.

If you have been living in the house and never had any problems with damp then it's a fairly good assumption that there isn't actually a problem.

G_M

As sandsni says.

Find out if the specialist coming in is independant, or works for a company that installs damp proof courses/damp solutions. If so, he will be little more than a salesman and.... surprise! he will

a) confirm a damp problem and
b) propose his company resolve it (for £X,000)

I would even go so far as to suggest you refuse to allow access unless the specialist is truly independant and has no ulteria motive.

Read this too.

Lord_Baltimore

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lottie0311

Thanks. The damp has been picked up on internal walls. We have seen it, there's a patch in the living room and dining room where the paint is slightly darker, however, not am eye sore and it's been like that for a while. We're not covering any black or smell, the house is just old. Aybideahow much it would cost to remedy? The buyer is willing to go up to £1000

xylophone

You need to discover the cause of the damp - bridged DPC perhaps?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damp_(structural)

lottie0311

I'm really not sure, just gotta wait for the report I guess. I was trying to get some sort of idea that's all.

lottie0311

yea thats what im dreading. buyers are actually a builder and this is why i know they will cost this kind of cost. I'd expect to be asked to contribute to anything over this amount.

They have sent me the report and it states "we suspect that the original blue brick membrane to be upgraded by the installation of a PVC membrane although this cannot be confirmed from visual inspection"

They have also put "meter readingintnerally show areas of rising dampness remaining to the front and rear chimney breasts with majority of walls to the rear dining room and kitchen. we recommend you obtain the advise of a damp proof specialist. no specific timber defects were noted at the time of inspection"

what is the £1000 quote for, just one room or ground floor? Our house is 2 rooms downstairs and long kitchen.

G_M

??? Ypu're the one talking about £1000, not us! How do we know what it is for.....

Read the posts, and links, above. They have good advice.

* there may be no damp, just electrical current being carried across a meter on a bone-dry wall
* the damp may be caused by a minor issue - eg dpc breached by soil outside. Cure? half an hour shovelling!
* the chimney may need ventilating. Cure? an hour's work to insert a vintilation brick, or remove cap, on an unused chimney.

But even in the above scenarios (£50?) a 'dampproof specilaist' is 80% certain to advocate a £2000 membrane, or injection, 'cs that's how he affords his holidays abroad.